MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[metaljacket]

 I am not suprised by the loss to Webster nor the close game at FU for Spalding. Obviously WU played a zone and it seems from these posts that FU also went into zone.  WU killed Spalding in the zone earlier this year, did it again this weekend, and then they almost drop one to FU who played zone. They also lost a non-con earlier this year to a zone team. It doesnt seem like any adjustments were made even though they knew they were walking into a chance to win a Championship.

Mcafee for player of the year or is Trimble the front runner? I have never seen the Trimble boy play before so I cannot debate this.

[Denny McKinney]

Hopefan - we know WC v. MC could be classic. You've seen GC @ FU @ WU and @ MC. How Do you see the WU v. GC game. And, GC will travel well to STL. Does that play into it? Is third time a charm?

Also. I disagree  with your bench talk again this year. Most good teams have been 7 maybe 8 rotation. More likely 7. A guard and a midsize defender. Good players can play 32 mins and work with 5 fouls. That's a 4 min rest each half. The past good FU run was yearly speech about depth and players wearing down. It's the new old style philosophy. IMHO only.

It's easier to make adjustments when you know the strength of you parts.

[hopefan]

Metal... in my opinion, it has to be Trimble...   Webster came into this season seemingly very short at two positions... absolutely nothing at either point guard or in the middle... at one point, before seeing the new players, I suggested Nick Jones might have to fill either one of those roles... While Huskey has done a nice job in the middle, Willie has been the driving force of this team, and with the exception of the loss to Mac where he threw up 2 horrible shots in crunch time, he has been a MAJOR positive force at the end of close games.... Nothing away from Mcafee, he's incredibly smooth, and the streak he went on at Webster was nothing short of sensational... if he gets Spalding all the way to a win in that game, maybe I'm writing something different....

Denny didn't mention, and I just noticed... wonder what happened to Spaldings Thomas Blakemore... a good game vs Webster (he was the only player who did anything in the 1st half), he didn't play on Saturday vs Fontbonne....

Denny and I disagree on bench use....  if nothing else, I think the psychological effect of 9 or 10 guys knowing they have an important role in a game, in EVERY game, is a major positive over the season... I always hear D3 guys are not doing it for the scholarship $$$, but for the love of the game, the fun of it....  Well, I can't believe anyone thinks it's fun sitting on the bench in everything but a blowout... those 3 or 4 that sit when a 7 man rotation is used, well I'm just not going to believe they are very satisfied....  Maybe you skinny back a little at seaon's end, if games are crucial to making the tourney... but I can think of a lot more positives to playing 10-12 guys than negatives.....

[hopefan]

VERY disappointing news, indirectly affecting the SLIAC, in today's Post Dispatch...

The ST Louis Community College System, which has 3 major campuses which each has a men's and women's basketball program ( as well as other sports ie baseball, softball, soccer) have made a 'cost cutting' decision to merge each of the programs to 1 team starting next school year....  that means 3 men's teams, all of which have been competitive in the JC circuit, will now be one team, location yet to be decided, and 3 coaches will now be one coach....  Randy Albrecht from the Merrimac campus, who has sent numerous GOOD players to the SLIAC, was out in the dark in the article, saying he has no idea how personnel decisions will be made....  And of course, that means that 45 spots for players now becomes 15 spots...  it means that for instance, a kid who wants to attend Flo Valley up north, five miles from his home, may instead have to commute 25 miles per day to come to Merrimac, if that is where the basketball program is (or obviously vice versa)....  it means facilities meant to house teams and games will no longer be used for that purpose...

Denny knows alot more about the history of the STL CC system and its relationship to the SLIAC... I'll be interested to hear his take on this.....

[hopefan]

missed GC panther at Mac??

[GC Panther 01]

Hope pretty much summed up the GC v Mac game.  I arrived a little late but Mac destroyed GC on the offensive glass in the first half.  GC too many empty posessions on very ill advised passes several going ob before the intended recepient knew the ball was in flight.  
 Despite all the problems GC did cut it to a 9 point game with about 4 min to go.    I kept waiting for Obi to get it going and it just never happened.  
 Agree with Hope on questioning kicking the ball out on nearly every offensive posession for a 3, the lane was there for the taking and the few times they drove and pulled up with the 8-12' jumper it worked.  
 Really liked what I saw defensively in the 2nd half out of Mcbride.  He created some nice turnovers and helped keep Mclellan in check in the half court.
  GC really needs a post presence as they are completely lacking in that area.  Traeger is the only one close to having the size to play inside and particuarally in the first half was no where to be found in the paint.  He did find some good corroms late in the second half.

Neece will be a solid player in a couple years but needs to add some weight and aagressivness.

[GC Panther 01]

  Hope my appologies, I arrived late to the game.  Spotted you at the half but you were talking to someone.  I had every intention of catching you after the game, but was in a conversation with Mrs Panther and when I looked up you were almost out the door.  I will definately catch you in my next opportunity.

[hopefan]

Wish you had found me.. ate supper alone at Jville Ponderosa!!!!

[GC Panther 01]

Couldn't help you there had the Mrs with me and we hadnt been out of the house sans 3 kids since August I think!   I was sitting up by the guys filming the game in  a brown sweater.

[hopefan]

A valentine's getaway!!!  a trip to Jacksonville Illinois for Greenville - Mac

Now THAT is TRUE ROMANCE!!!

interestingly - I met Joel Pezelle's dad in the stands.... (a Gville player)..  noticed he was wearing a Covidien Sweater, which is where I work, and said hi... turned out to be Joel's dad... he's at Greenville Plant, I'm in St Louis.....

Well Panther, come on over to Webster this Saturday and I'll see you there at Webster vs Gville....

[hopefan]

I was asked by a Webster fan where Webster could end up playing in the NCAA tourney assuming they win the Conference tourney...  here is a first blush list...

this is arrived at by looking at highly rated teams in regional ratings that might host, and that are within 500 miles of Webster Groves....   the 500 mile limit would change some schools should Westmin, Mac or GC be the SLIAC rep...

Hope....   Holland Mi   428 miles   (now why would i root for that choice?)
Wabash   Crawfordsville Ind   238 miles
Wittenburg   Springfield, ohio   383 miles
Augustana   Rock Island, ill  238 miles
Concordia Wisc   Mequon, wi  342 miles
Hanover... hanover Ind   306 miles
Ill Wesleyan    Bloomington Ill   172 miles
Wisconsin Stevens Point   472 miles

of course there are other schools that just missed this ranking that will move into it this week, and conference tourneys can generate major changes.....

In recent years, SLIAC teams have been sent to various CCIW schools (in Illinois), to Wisconsin, to Mississippi, and across the street to Wash U...  Wash U will not be in the tourney this year, so that is not an option....  The SLIAC being rated low, is clearly a filler... wherever they need a 4th school, especially if Wash U isn't hosting, the SLIAC school will be sent.. as long as it's within 500 miles so the NCAA doesn't have to fly us somewhere....  the opening game will likely be Fri  March 4

[Denny McKinney]

The ultimate wisdom of the STLCC system will probably end up being a huge negative for the SLIAC. That's 30 less possible recruits. And 30 more possible NAIA recruits. Meremac not included. I think the players attending and playing at the other two, were there because of grades or money.

Truthfully, there have quite a few players that came through FU who should of been at a NAIA school for financial reasons. The STLCC's allowed kids 2 years of no loans and made it possible for them to sign for smaller loans.

I played one year at Flo Valley when the campus was beautiful and gym was nice. Before becoming a practice bench player at SEMO.

As much as we enjoy the D3 game, it is really not the right choice for alot of families and young people.

In my honest opinion, the A+ program is being used by alot more students in this tough economical time. This has resulted in budget problems.

[Denny McKinney]

Denny and I disagree on bench use....  if nothing else, I think the psychological effect of 9 or 10 guys knowing they have an important role in a game, in EVERY game, is a major positive over the season... I always hear D3 guys are not doing it for the scholarship $$$, but for the love of the game, the fun of it....  Well, I can't believe anyone thinks it's fun sitting on the bench in everything but a blowout... those 3 or 4 that sit when a 7 man rotation is used, well I'm just not going to believe they are very satisfied....  Maybe you skinny back a little at seaon's end, if games are crucial to making the tourney... but I can think of a lot more positives to playing 10-12 guys than negatives.....

You sound like a good director of a youth program. Where every kid plays equal minutes. You play better players less minutes just so everyone is happy. What does that say about winning?

Playing 10-12 will also upset the best players because less playing time. Please give an example of a successful tournament team over the years that played 10-12. Not many.

You should be in politics. If you could really make everyone happy. It is a politically correct answer, though.

That's what JV is for. And, what happened to the days of just being proud of earning a chance to dress?

[allamericanredhead]

$30,000 a year to sit on the bench for lee mckinney? ain't going to happen. if they ain't playing, they ain't staying.

[WUPHF]

In my honest opinion, the A+ program is being used by a lot more students in this tough economical time. This has resulted in budget problems.

The junior college district actually gets reimbursed for A+ students.  I used to work at Meramec and I knew a lot of the athletes.  I watched a lot of games back them.  I did talk to an old colleague and apparently, there are going to be widespread cuts around the district and he is surprised they are keep athletics at all.